For now
by Baby24-Misery
Summary: post ep: Election Day. What happened before Lou went to the bar? The conversation evolved around Josh and Donna. Everyone wondered: how did they met?


Diclaimer: Don't own anything. I just enjoy playing with characters. Don't sue!

**Summary: **post ep: Election Day. What happened before Lou went to the bar? The conversation evolved around Josh and Donna. Everyone wondered: how did they met?

* * *

**For now…**

The whole group was there. They were finally sitting in a bar, relaxing. Well, they were sitting at least. All of their minds were still focused on the election. They've done their work, the best they could, and now they had to wait. One thing no one was good at.

"OK, I still can't believe we're actually sitting, drinking and doing apsolutely nothing." – Edie said taking a sip from her drink.

Everyone nodded exept Josh.

"You know, if you want I can still find you something to do."

"No, no, no! I was kidding!" – she exclaimed earning a chuckle from the whole group. Donna looked at all of them thinking how she ended up here. She barely knew these people, well except Josh, but she felt close to them.

_"I guess Josh really knows how to pick a guy."_ – a thought crossed her mind as she looked at him. He was going through his pockets, looking for something.

"You know, I've never thought it would feel this way. The end, I mean." – Ronna said as everyone looked at her. – "I know it's still not over, but I feel relaxed somehow. And I don't know if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. I actually feel that my personality is split."

"I know the feeling." – Josh said looking at the floor.

"That's right!" – Lou said. – "You've done this once."

"Well, twice if you count reelection."

"I mean the first time. Bartlett had very small chances to win." – Lou remembered the election from 8 years ago. She also couldn't believe the results.

"He is a very brilliant man." – Josh simply said not wanting to get into that discussion. There was another man who needed to be elected. That was all history.

"He sure knows how to talk." – Otto chipped in. He always dreamed that someday, Jed Bartlett will read something that he wrote. No one noticed the look Donna gave to Josh. All this talk about past time made her remember a few things as well. Josh wasn't looking at her, but she knew he was remembering the same thing. Something in her made her say her thoughts out loud.

"He really does know how to talk. I mean, that is the reason why I came to work for his campaign."

Josh looked up immediately surprised that she would open that can of worms. And he knew the rest of them will have questions. No one dared to ask before, but since Donna started it all, it was just a matter of time. She was avoiding his look, and focusing on Ronna who asked.

"Really? His speech made you come to work for him?"

Donna nodded, still avoiding Josh's look. She really didn't know why she even started this. Ah, hell she didn't. She wanted things to go back to where they were. When they were Josh and Donna. And since Josh was avoiding the whole kiss thing, she wanted to see if she can get the moment back. She needed to remind him and herself as well about all things that happened that made them who they were.

"So, that's when you met Josh?" – Edie asked earning another glare from Josh. Somehow she knew he will punish her.

"Yeah, that's when we've met." – she couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"What's so funny?" – Ronna asked wanting to know more about her colleagues. Ever since she first met Donna she could've felt the tension that was between them. Of course, she couldn't ask Josh. Because, he would, you know, kill her.

"Nothing." – Donna said taking a drink from the table. Josh was quiet and she didn't know if he was mad at her for starting this.

Josh, on the other hand was still surprised that she would be willing to talk about those times. He thought she wanted to forget them.

Lou looked from one to another and decided to address the elephant in the room.

"So, why don't you tell us how you two met."

Donna and Josh both looked up and caught each other's eyes.

"Yeah, come on! I don't want to talk about election for at least 10 minutes." – Ronna agreed with Lou.

Donna saw the look in Josh's eyes. His eyes were asking her if she's OK with this, and finally she saw how insecure he was. He was insecure with their past. So she decided to continue the conversation.

"Well, we've met when I came to Manchester to work on the campaign."

"OK, still nothing funny about that. I wanna know why you were smiling before." – Lou was anxious. And a bit drunk.

"She hired herself." – Josh finally said something earning a surprised look from Donna. And a smile as well. He took the bait.

"You what?" – Ronna asked with her eyes wide open.

"Well, I came into the building and there was such a commotion there. So I looked around and one office was opened. So I entered it and the phone rang. Since there was no one around I could ask about the job, and the noise was really annoying I looked at the door, and the name on it and I answered the phone." – she was smiling telling the story and she knew that it was obvious to all of them that it was a good memory.

"So, whose office was it?" – Otto asked and everyone rolled their eyes already knowing the answer.

"It was Josh's." – she simply answered looking at him.  
"So, what happened then? I mean when he came back." – Ronna asked another question.

"Well, he knew immediately that I was lying about working there. But I managed to convince him to hire me."

"Well, it's not like you would've took no for an answer. And I couldn't allow you to go back to that guy." – Josh said and Donna's eyes wend wide

"What guy?" – Lou smirked.

"The one Donna supported when he was in college."

"Well, I was young and naïve than." – she said calmly not a bit upset because that topic came up. That was all in the history.

"So, you hired her, no questions asked?" – Ronna turned towards Josh.

"Yes."

"Ah, that sounds like fate." – Edie sighed earning another look from Josh. Yeah, she will pay for this. The rest of them just chuckled.

"So, then you both tell us, how should we be feeling now?" – Ronna asked.

"I think that split personality is pretty good way to describe the feeling." – Josh said and Donna simply nodded.

"And the feeling you first found out you've won?" – Ronna asked again, but then both Josh and Donna looked down.

"What?" – she asked carefully.

"My father died that night, and I had to go home. So no celebration for me."

They all exchanged looks and Lou decided to change the topic.

"So, that was 8 years ago. You two have come a long way. Any interesting stories to tell us?"

Josh and Donna looked at each other not knowing what to say.

"Oh, come on! Entertain us! Donna, share some stories where Josh looked like an idiot." – Lou begged

"Oh, there were so many. I wouldn't know which one to choose." – she sweetly smiled.

"Pick one! Please!" – Lou begged again.

"Why do you want to hear the stories where I was an idiot? You know there were a few where Donna was the idiot one.

"Yeah, but there are much more with you in the main role." – she stopped smiling thinking how they managed to bring their banter back. It was still awkward, but not as before.

"Name one." – he dared her.

"You and Sam almost burning down the White house." – she immediately responded raising one eyebrow.

"How the hell did you do that?" – Lou asked.

"It was cold and me and Sam were trying to light a fire in a fireplace." – Josh responded still not taking his eyes from Donna

"Except the chimney was sealed 100 years ago." – she said and the whole group laughed.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" – he defended himself.

"There was a sign next to it!" – she responded.

"Well, I didn't see you reading it!" – he simply said realizing everyone was looking at them with a smirk.

"Still, it was a stupid thing to do, Josh." – Lou said chuckling. – "Ok, to play this fair, Josh, tell us a silly story about Donna."

"She heard about the meteor hitting the Earth and she thought we're all going to die." – he chuckled.

"Well, I'm not a scientist! How was I suppose to know that it's a common thing. And you know you could've told me that. Instead, you just laughed at me."

"Well, it was funny." – he shrugged.

Ronna decided to stop the banter.

"So, good times, huh?

"There were good times, and bad times as well." – Donna quietly said

"So, what was the worst thing that happened?" – Lou asked. – "I would guess President revealing his MS."

"No." – Donna whispered. – "For me, it was Rosslyn."

Josh looked at her with the warmest look. They've never talked about bad times. Not the way they should've at least.

"Oh, right, the hit on the President." – Otto nodded, and Donna looked at him.

"_He doesn't remember."_ – she thought. She looked over at Josh and saw that he was looking the other way.

"And Josh." – she finally said.

"What?" – Lou asked

"Josh was hit there as well."

Everyone looked at him trying to remember.

"Now, I remember! You took two bullets there, haven't you?" – Lou asked without hesitation.

"Yeah." – he simply said not wanting to talk about that.

"I completely forgot about that." – Ronna said. –"Sorry, we didn't mean to…"

"It's OK." – he stopped her.

"So, what's the best time for you?" – Ronna asked Donna.

She thought for a second, not knowing what to choose.

"I don't know…there were a lot of good moments. Normally they would come after bad times; hearing that Josh was going to live, President winning the second election, when Zoey was found, I really can't choose one."

"I can." – Josh added. – "When you woke up from coma last year."

"Yeah, I guess that was a good moment, or I wouldn't be here." – she tried to smile, but somehow the only memory coming from that time was the fact that she thought things were going to change after that, and they haven't. Well, at least not the way she wanted them to change.

"You were in a coma?" – Otto asked.

"I was in an accident." – Donna responded not wanting to get into details, although she knew it wasn't completely fair, since she talked about Josh.

"She was one of the people who were hurt in Gaza, right?" – Ronna asked remembering that. – "I remember seeing your picture in some magazine…"

She stopped talking when she saw Josh making a fist.

"Yeah. That was it. I was in a hospital in Germany for a month." – she said not wanting to get into details about Colin.

"How did you survive for a month without her?" – Lou asked Josh referring to the job.

"I was with her in Germany for a week." – he answered not seeing all the raised eyebrows at the table. Donna's cheeks started to blush, and she grabbed her drink to take a sip.

"OK, let's change the subject. I want to know about women Josh dated." – Donna choked on her drink realizing Lou was talking to her.

"What?"

"Well, I know Josh won't tell us anything, so, come on. I want some juicy stories."

"There weren't any juicy stories." – Josh said. However, he was in a way curious what Donna will say.

"There were a few, Josh."

"Like what?"

"Amy Gardner, for one." – she managed to say without adding some profound words.

"You dated Amy Gardner?" – Ronna asked remembering that she worked with them.

"Twice." – Donna bitterly said,

"OK, so what? At least she was a democrat. You managed to pick republicans every time."

"Not every time." – she said.

"Every time, Donna!" – he leaned forward to make his point. Lou started to laugh, and that got his attention.

"Jealous, Josh?" – she asked, and Donna felt her cheeks blush again. Only this time she wasn't alone. Josh's face was red as well.

"No, but that was just weird." – he leaned back feeling somewhat ashamed because he reacted like that.

"So you two never…?" – Lou asked leaving the rest of the sentence hanging in the air.

"Never what?" – Josh acted stupid.

"You two have never been involved?" – she repeated somewhat annoyed.

"No." – Donna answered instead of him.

"So, Donna, how come you started working for Russell? – Otto asked not really wanting to talk about romance.

The whole group knew that this is where thing got awkward. Both Josh and Donna showed the discomfort on their faces.

"I needed a change. And it was a good career move." – she said.

Josh barely managed to keep quiet. That was still a sore topic for him.

"You should've come to us immediately." – Otto said smiling not getting the whole thing entirely. – "I mean, more friendly faces."

"Well, Will Bailey was there, so I had a friendly face."

Josh looked at her wondering if anything ever happened between Donna and Will. He didn't dare to ask. For now…

"Was it hard to work in the White house after the accident? I mean, they did send you to Gaza." – Edie asked.

"I sent her to Gaza. " – Josh bitterly said.

Donna simply shook her head not daring to say anything. She was worried that her voice will break. Everyone decided to drop that subject.

"So, you left, Josh left…who left first?" – Lou asked.

"Donna left first. I stayed a few more days." – everyone found that statement a bit weird, but no one dared to say anything. It was obvious that there was more involving the two of them.

Donna looked at Josh trying to read him. When she heard he left after her to convince Santos to run, she found it strange that he would change his life that fast. And she didn't dare to think that her departure had anything to do with that. For now…Maybe someday she will ask him.

"And now you two are back together." – Edie sighed again earning a glare from Josh. – "As a team." She quickly added.

"You know what?" – Lou said. – "We need something in a bottle that has high percentage of alcohol. I'll be right back."

And that finished the conversation. For now…

A/N: OK, I was thinking about what I can write based on the last ep. And I came up with nothing. The ep ended in a way, that doesn't leave much space for romance, only depression.  
So, I decided to go a little back, and write what happened before the ep started, better to say; what happened before Lou went to the bar to get some drinks. It's not that good, but I felt the need to write something.


End file.
